1. Field of the Invention.
The present invention relates generally to tie-down rails for the sidewall of a truck bed, and more particularly to illuminatable tubular tie-down rails having safety marking capabilities.
2. Description of the Related Art.
Trucks are commonly equipped with various tie-down devices for securing items being transported in the bed of the truck. One form of tie-down device includes a hook mounted in each corner of the bed of the truck to which ropes, elastic cords, cable or other types of tie-down straps (hereinafter collectively referred to as "tie-downs cords") may be attached to secure the items within the bed of the truck. Alternatively, some truck beds include holes extending through the top ledge of the sidewall of the truck bed for receiving posts which are useful for increasing the effective height of the sidewalls. Rope, netting or panels may be attached to the posts to form vertical extensions of the sidewalls of the truck bed for retaining the load.
Yet another form of tie-down device includes tie-down rails, which are mounted along the top ledges of the sidewalls of the bed of the truck. Tie-down rails typically extend the length of the truck bed and provide a structure or frame to which tie-down cords may be attached. Accordingly, tie-down cords may be extended from side-to-side across the top of the truck bed and tied or attached to the tie-down rail to secure the load.
One drawback associated with many of the commercially available tie-down rails is that they are primarily decorative in nature; thus, they are not designed to withstand the tensile forces to which they are subjected when tie-down cords are stretched tautly across the bed of the truck.
Another drawback associated with many of the commercially available tie-down rails is that they do not include means for retaining the tie-down cords at desired positions along the length of the rail. For example, unless the tie-down rail includes a plurality of spaced apart stanchions or some other retaining means intermediate the ends of the rail, the tie-down cords that are wrapped around or attached to the rail have a tendency to creep along the length of the rail during transport, often causing the load to shift or to become unsecured.
Yet another drawback associated with many tie-down rails is that they are not adaptable to different models of trucks having different configurations. The rail typically includes a plate extending laterally from each end and configured to rest flush against the top ledge of the sidewall of the truckbed. The plate includes a plurality of bores through which fasteners are received to attach the rail to the sidewall. The ledges of the sidewalls of many models of trucks include stake pockets or openings for attaching tie-down rails. However, the length of the ledge or the spacing between the stake pockets or "standard holes" varies among manufacturers. The standard holes are the apertures formed in the sidewall of the truck bed on the top ledge and extend through to top ledge to be used as receptacles for ropes and other tie down articles, or even posts associated with campers that mount to the back of pickup truck. The standard holes are positioned at various locations along the sidewall of the vehicle usually by the manufacturer. The number of such holes may vary depending upon the make of vehicle. For instance, the number and location of the standard holes is known to differ between comparably sized trucks of differing make. Thus, many variations of commercially available tie-down rails must be manufactured in a variety of lengths and configurations in order to accommodate the different manufacturers or models of trucks having different standard holes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,650,382, granted to Johnson and incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein, is directed to an elongated unitary tie-down rail for a truck bed comprising a bottom flange and an upright flange formed at an acute angle. The top portion of the upright flange terminates in an enlarged elongated rod portion, and a plurality of longitudinally spaced slots are formed in the upright flange immediately below the rod portion to receive tie-down members for securing a load within the truck bed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,711, granted to Beck and incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein, is directed to a tie-down apparatus having a composite overlying double track on which a car is slidably carried on the topmost track and securement fasteners carried in the lowermost track secure the double track to a supporting rail or truck bed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,954,031, granted to Geeck, III and incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein is directed to a tie rail device composed of a linear body, one flat portion of which can be fastened to the top of the truckbed sidewall of a pickup truck or to the top of its tail gate or to the top of the gunwales of a boat. Another portion of the device extends outwardly from the vehicle and serves as point(s) of attachment for the straps or cords.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,724, granted to Dutton and incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein, is directed to a truck box top molding comprising slotted tails having outwardly extending flange resting on the top of the truck box. The rails are fastened to the box by screws extending through holes in the rails and outwardly into the inside wall of the truck box at the sides and ends. There are longitudinally spaced slots in the rail above the flange.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,736, granted to Dutton and incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein, is directed to a truck box top molding comprising rails having an outwardly extending base resting on the top of the truck box. The rails are fastened to the box by screws extending through holes in the rails and outwardly into the inside wall of the truck box at the sides and ends. An upstanding, longitudinally-extending flange in an internal cavity in each of the side rails receives the hooked outer end of longitudinally movable anchors having clamping screws with knurled knobs thereon to clamp the anchors to the rails in any of an infinite number of possible positions longitudinally of the rails.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,547,014, granted to Wicker and incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein, is directed to an articulated rigid cover assembly for truck beds comprising a flexible waterproof canvas cover overlying a plurality of elongated metal panels hingedly joined to form a cover assembly. The cover assembly is foldably mounted between a pair of guide tracks which are attached to the upper surface of the side walls of the truck bed. The tracks are attached to the side walls by bolts which are concealed from the exterior of the closed truck bed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,604,013, granted to Elwell et al. and incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein, is directed to a vehicle side rail assembly comprising a tread plate adapted to fit over the upper wall of a pickup truck; tubular, open-ended side rail having a portion disposed parallel to and spaced above the tread plate with end portions engaging the tread plate; the bottom wall of the rail split longitudinally to form a slot and having an angular seat formed by shoulders in the bottom wall; a plurality of angular and tubular spacers adapted to fit in a nested manner into the shoulder seat at any location there along and to engage the tread plate; and carriage bolt fasteners slidingly engaged with the rail by the slot and insertable through the spacers, the tread plate and the side panel wall to fasten the assembly to the side panel, the fasteners being hidden from view.
Until now, it is believed that a tubular tie-down rail having a flat top surface, internal structural flanges, safety marking capability, illuminatable capability, the ability to have a universal device attachable to a variety of truck bed standard hole configurations, and attachment means for accommodating a variety of truck bed configurations, has not been invented.